WordPress has been a very popular CMS tool favored by big and large corporations as well as by those who are building their personal portfolios. Each of these themes has been built with a specific audience in mind; thus, some themes carry unique features that are specific to the industry or group of people they want to target.

On the other hand, there are also WordPress themes that package themselves as multi-purpose, so no matter which industry you belong to or whatever nature your business is, the features these themes carry are universal with customization features, so you can add your personal touch to it.

Now comes Monstroid, the ultimate multi-purpose theme developed by TemplateMonster. The word “ultimate” here comes without any exaggeration as it comes with 145 pages and more than 129 PSD files. Think about what you can build with that? Absolutely almost anything! Your only limit is your imagination.

With that big number of pages, you have all the layout options you can possibly imagine complete with various structure blocks, accordions, UI elements, parallax, and more. And if you love to explore your creativity using Photoshop, you have a lot of PSD files to work on.

This is just the beginning…

The Topping

The Cherry framework 4 is one of the lightest and fastest frameworks on WordPress

Let’s start with the Cherry on top – the framework where Monstroid runs on. Some may call it the bones, but it is simply delectable not to mention it first. It’s also the reason why Monstroid becomes more attractive.

The Cherry framework 4 is one of the fastest and lightest frameworks on WordPress. But what’s noteworthy is that it is also built by TemplateMonster, an advantage when it comes to the synergy between the theme and the framework.

Included with the framework are 30 built-in premium extensions as well as a new backup option which allows you to instant restore your theme just in case it crashes.

The Cake

Monstroid comes with a number of child themes, which they call topics. Child themes are separate themes which have pre-built layouts and designs covering different categories or industries. That means you can create your own cake in any flavor you want. But the good thing is, you don’t have to make it from scratch, which is pretty cool because you save a lot of time to focus on other aspects of your website.

At the moment, there are 4 available subtopics included in the package and focuses on some of the most popular niches, such as art and photography, finance, interior and design, and education. TemplateMonster, however, announced that they will be adding 15 new designs every month for each type of business. This gives you a vast opportunity to re-design or re-brand your business without going through a complex process.

The Main Ingredients

What’s a cake without its special ingredients? To add more character and flavor to your cake, here are Monstroid’s main ingredients:

Monstroid has a lot of plugins to die for

Installation Wizard

The Installation Wizard is a plugin which allows you to install your theme with a few mouse clicks in a matter of minutes. With this wizard, you don’t need to use an FTP or file manager, but all files are downloaded from the cloud after which you can choose which component you want to install.

In addition, the Wizard also allows you to check out any particular feature you want to include as well as preview all the available child themes so you can compare before making your choice.

Instant Skin Switcher

Do not like the skin you’ve just installed? Monstroid’s instant skin switcher allows you to switch styles in a matter of minutes. Monstroid has 3 skin styles to can choose from at the moment – Flat, Dark, and Minimal. Soon, however, they will add more skin styles – Metro, Grunge, 8-Bit, Material, or Non-Standard Geometry.

Exclusive Shortcodes

Since Monstroid and Cherry framework were built by the same team, the shortcodes used were written exclusively for both theme and framework. Monstroid has more than 30 shortcodes you can utilize for grids, post output, list, elements, tabs, video, audio, Google maps, and more. These shortcodes are equipped with their own set of options which can be found in the dialogue box.

Multiple Sliders

The MotoSlider gives free rein to your creativity by allowing you to present your content in the most appealing way through its variety of slider plugins. The MotoSlider has multiple styling options which allow you to do almost anything according to your preferences.

The MotoSlider helps you shape your images the best way it’s supposed to look like. You can choose from a variety of sliders which include Accordion, Slider, and Roundabout Gallery, to help you create sophisticated beautiful galleries and slideshow with captions.

White Label Plugin

This plugin serves as your playground where you can create a deep customization of the WordPress dashboard panel as well as logos, menus, and more to cater to any type of need. In layman’s terms, you will be able to write anything you want at the copyright section of your site to make your brand more defined and less confusing. You have to make sure, however, that whatever tweaks you make comply with WordPress regulations.

Full Social Integration

This plugin allows you to promote your website to any of the social media networks, such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Reddit, and more. Use this feature to link your website to your social media accounts.

RTL and WPML Ready

RTL stands for right-to-left while WPML means WordPress Multilingual. These are important plugins especially if you are targeting an international market. The RTL feature allows you to display languages, such as Arabic and Hebrew, with a right-to-left orientation to display properly. WPML allows you to host different language versions of your website in one domain.

50+ Graphics

Has it ever been a problem for you looking for an appropriate image for your post or content. Monstroid has more than 50 licensed graphic images which you can use for your website. These graphics will not only add to your website’s aesthetic appeal but its uniqueness as well.

Monstroid Extensions and Third Party Extension Support

Monstroid is compatible with a number of popular extensions, like Yoast, WPL, bbPress, which adds to the functionality and UX enhancement of your website. Aside from this, Monstroid has more than 30 built-in premium extensions all exclusive to the theme. The best part of these extensions are they are free for all Monstroid users.

Monstroid is fully integrated with WooCommerce

eCommerce Integration

If you are a business website or an online store, this is good news for you. Monstroid is fully integrated with WooCommerce, so creating your online store and have it fully functional is easy. The theme also contains a number of store layouts and portfolio as well as a shopping cart and payment integration. What you need to do is compile a site menu then replace the default content with your own content.

How about if your business is growing? No need to worry because as your business grows, WooCommerce also grows with you with tons of add-ons to streamline your online profit.

Fully Responsive and SEO Ready

What’s a website if it’s not responsive? Monstroid is fully responsive and works across different devices and platforms. Once you install it, you don’t need to worry whether it will work well on your mobile or on your desktop; thus, you can focus solely on creating great content. But the best part is Monstroid SEO-optimized so Google’s search engine can rank you higher since crawlers find your content better and the pages are indexed faster.

Google Analytics

For a website to be successful, you also need to know how your visitors and users interact with your website so that you can devise a better strategy and action plan on a regular basis. Monstroid comes equipped with Google Analytics to help you with this aspect.

500+ Google Web Fonts

Monstroid has a monstrous collection of typography – more than 500 Google web fonts if you can imagine that! Change the typography of your website from this huge collection using the Cherry settings. Just make sure it complements the whole design and “feel” of your website.

Graphs and Charts

Creating beautiful and stylish infographics is not a problem with the Monstroid theme. This plugin allows you to present your statistical data through colorful infographics. You can utilize the various charts, such as graphs, pies, charts, or progress bar.

Monstroid has features exclusive only to the theme

Secret Ingredients

Aside from its main ingredients, Monstroid has also some (not so) secret ingredients that make it a must-have. These additional features make Monstroid a cut above the rest and more functional and powerful.

Shortcode Templater

One of the advantages of the Cherry framework, this feature allows you to write an unlimited number of shortcodes and edit them according to the way you want them. That means you can change shortcode element, attributes, loading order, and many more.

Static Area Builder

With the Static Area Builder, you can re-arrange the elements, such as widgets and banners, of your footer and header according to your preferences with just a simple drag and drop action. You can also adjust their position using Bootstrap grid classes.

Dynamic CSS

This feature allows you to modify CSS using LESS through variables, operations and functions, and mixins. However, this feature is not automatically activated when you install the theme so make sure you have activated it first in order to utilize it. You also need to be careful not to overwrite the basic CSS as well as save the options setting after using.

CSS Minifier

Like the Dynamic CSS, this feature also needs to be activated in order to use it. The CSS Minifier allows you to compile multiple CSS files into a single file using the custom-built compiler. By bundling all files into a single file, you improve your overall site speed.

Independent Modules

These contain 23 plugins which have been developed specifically for the Monstroid theme. What makes these plugins special is that you can use them within the theme or separate from it giving you unlimited possibilities to develop and modify your site.

Making the Cake

How difficult is it to make a cake, much more build a website? Such features can overwhelm you if you are a newbie, but TemplateMonster foresaw these possible difficulties and challenges, so Monstroid provided a few quick and easy solutions to these.

You don’t need to code with the MotoPress editor

MotoPress Editor

Don’t know how to code? No need to learn code with Monstroid’s MotoPress editor. This visual editor lets you Drag and Drop all the elements you need without writing a single code. You can also create, edit, and style your pages from the front-end as easy as pie.

Full and Comprehensive Documentation

Monstroid also comes with a number of video tutorials and comprehensive documentation which allow you to get well-acquainted with Monstroid quickly and easily. All you need to do is follow the guidelines and you’ll be able to install the theme in a few minutes as well as customize it according to your own preference and needs.

Free 24/7 Customer Support

Once you install Monstroid, you are not left alone to fend for yourself and figure out how to solve any problem that might pop out. TemplateMonster provides a 24/7 live chat support all year round without extra charges, and this is free for lifetime. Your concerns will be handled immediately by a team of well-trained customer service staff. If you are pressed for time, you can shoot them an email with a guaranteed 2 ~ 4 hours response time.

The Cherry Has a Lot to Offer

The Cherry platform has a lot to bring to the table to make Monstroid a very tough contender in the WordPress arena. Aside from the basic and advanced features mentioned above, Cherry offers plugins and features that are exclusive to the Monstroid theme.

Cherry Mega Menu

The Mega Menu is a very helpful plugin which allows you to manage menus with a more complex structure and filled with a variety of elements, such as embedded videos, links, and banners. These menus have become very popular in online stores and multi-purpose sites.

There are a number of styles how you can present your portfolio

Cherry Portfolio

The Cherry Portfolio is an ideal tool to showcase your works in a professional and aesthetically enhancing way. Powered by Ajax, its visual effects and customization options will help you build a truly awesome and eye-catching portfolio.

Cherry Custom Sidebars

Sidebars are other important elements of your website because it focuses the attention of your audience over a specific task. For example, a simple tweak can boost your sale or increase your email subscription. The custom sidebars give you the freedom to fully manipulate the element of your user interface.

Cherry Social

Want to integrate your various social media accounts into your website? This plugin contains different social media tools, such as social sharing buttons and widgets of the most popular social networks. Through the Cherry Social, incorporating your social interaction on different levels won’t be any problem.

Cherry Testimonials

One of the most powerful sales pitch you can ever have will come from your customers themselves, which make testimonials very indispensable. The testimonial editor helps you accomplish the goal of gaining the trust of your potential customers by showcasing the testimonials of your existing customers.

Cherry Team

This feature helps you create profiles for each of your team members. Each profile is created independently from each other, then merged into one page where visitors and customers will be able to see who’s on your team. If you want to modify a certain profile, you can edit or re-arrange them in a way you prefer.

Cherry Services

The plugin has been specifically designed to create landing pages which carry the complete information of your business. Some noteworthy features include price tables and blocks that are fully customizable. They also come with a phone number and address information, which helps with your website conversion.

Cherry Data Manager

The data manager functions like a briefcase where you can put all your data and carry it to another site or domain. With this tool, you can import and export everything easily as well as make the process of testing your work in other servers work like a breeze.

Cherry Blog Layouts

If you plan on including a blog or focus on building a blog, this plugin helps you find the perfect blog layout by adjusting the elements in it.

Cherry Ranking

Want to know what your customers and visitors think about your product or service, this plugin allows you to gather that important data by allowing them to express their opinions through a ranking system. They can do that by clicking the “star” or “like” button.

What Else Goes with It?

To further prove that Monstroid is one massive WordPress theme, TemplateMonster added more flavor enhancement to the theme. Call it the finishing touches or whatever you like, but these add-ons added to its uniqueness and reputation as a multi-purpose theme.

Free Graphic and PSD Files

Aside from the premium features, Monstroid also has a lot of freebies including 50 graphic images and more than 100 PSD files, which are included in the demo content. With “free” it really is free, unlike other themes whose advertisements do not coincide with what it really offers.

Prebuilt Page Design

This feature saves you a lot of time in setting up your website, especially if you are still learning your way around Monstroid. The theme has a number of page layouts which you can immediately use. These layouts come with global settings so set up can be done in a short period of time.

Pre-built layouts let you set up your website in a short time

You can opt for either a boxed or full-width layout, all of which are responsive so you don’t need to make any adjustments for it to work perfectly across different platforms.

Does the Cake Really Taste Good?

With all the good things and amazing features Monstroid has, you begin to wonder if the cake really tastes good? Like all other WordPress themes, Monstroid has some issues, but not something you major. Here are a few of them as well as the action steps TemplateMonster is doing to make the Monstroid experience more enjoyable:

Monstroid runs on the Cherry framework, which is considered as one of the lightest and fastest in WordPress universe. However, just like any other multi-purpose WordPress themes, is quite heavy compared to the simple themes available on WordPress. Thus, you can expect a slower load time compared to these simple themes. However, TemplateMonster is giving it its top priority to resolving this issue so you can also expect that as new updates are introduced, Monstroid will become much faster and more powerful with each passing time.

TemplateMonster is also working on optimizing the installation process by letting you choose whether or not you want to install only the “parts” and features you need, such as WooCommerce for example.

With tons of plugins that come with the theme, also expect congestion in the admin panel. To solve this problem, TemplateMonster has also given its users the option to install only the plugins that they think are necessary for their website.

Conclusion

Monstroid is a new theme, and like any other any new themes, expect a few bugs that need to be worked out at the beginning. Compared to other themes, however, there are worse out there. Moreover, these few glitches are dwarfed with all the features and functionality Monstroid has to offer. Just think about all the premium stuff you get for free when you purchase the theme.

The biggest sellout point of Monstroid, however, is its Content Editor, which is better than what other themes have to offer. Aside from that, you can build almost anything with Monstroid. All of that for only $79 – not bad considering the value you get. And with the lifetime support and continuous updates, buying Monstroid is like getting a lifetime business partner that grows with you.

Nowadays, web design is almost 95% of typography. Typography includes the use of modern CSS techniques and web fonts, which makes it easy for you to obtain complex things carried out in no time.

A web designer who gets suitable typography tools can increase the aesthetic appeal of a website. These tools could make things easy and simple for you the way you render fonts. Moreover, you will have additional control over high-quality fonts.

In this article, we round up some of the 15 Best Web Typography Tools, Frameworks & Libraries for all such needs of a web designer. So that a web designer (you) can create a much better web typography conveniently.

It enlarges the font size in order to fill the containers with its complete width. Furthermore, this plugin also works out of the box with right nutshells and algorithms. Also, this tool measures the width of the container and the length of the character. Eventually, appending the size of font appropriately.

This tool works exactly the same as Modernizr. Nevertheless, except for one thing that it just tracks your browser engine so as to render fonts. Also, it adds custom classes which are based on its findings. These could be utilized to apply various styling rules for TypeRendering.

It’s a plugin which dynamically modifies the font size that’s based on the width of a particular wrapper. Also, it helps with implementing ideal numbers of characters every line with screen associated with any width.

UnderlineJS is a JavaScript & it helps to make the underlined text much better than ever. You will be also able to check the demo & always try to move throughout the lines. Also, you can compare and contrast the demo with “TEXT-DECORATION” standard that’s the present-day underline output CSS.

It is one more, yet awesome tool that helps you produce the basic styles of typography for your design. This tool comes with line size, margin & height along with a user interface that’s typically a simple slider. It is also capable of generating styles SCSS, inLESS & Stylus.

It is a JavaScript & design your font to fit the precise width of its container. This tool would also figure out the font size along with the required spacing in the words. Font-To-Width is best to make awesome headlines for you.

It’s a tool accessible online, that helps to figure out the font size accurately. Furthermore, it also offers you with a simple, yet user-friendly GUI to include the font size base, font scale & family that you’re willing to utilize. These outcomes would also be visualized & you can work around with the scale & to get the precise value.

It is among the popular web font library which you would ever discover on the World Wide Web. This tool is utilized by hundreds & thousands of individuals and hosts over 500 font families. It’s a collection of Google Font which is paired with different combinations between typefaces & font families quite easily.

Typeplate is one of the best & the ideal starter kit for a web designer to set up typography. It comes along with a lump of essentials styles of typography which addresses small capital, scaling, colors drop cap, indentation, hyphenation code bock, blockquote & much more.

It is a curated outline design showcase that recognizes the textual styles used in web design. The main objective of this tool is to serve as a one-stop asset for web designers looking for typographic motivation for the modern design. Typewolf is one of the awesome assets accessible for everything identified with typography on the web. Typewolf will dependably remain an autonomous site that features typefaces from all sorts of foundries paying little attention to what organization owns the rights or where it can be bought or authorized.

It helps you to test the textual styles on any website. If you want to test, you just have to visit the official site of TypeWonder and you have to enter the site URL to test the font of any specific site. This tool is the best for those who want to create a site with a font, but not sure about font name and other details.

It offers an exciting new era for the web designers. This site makes it super easy for the web developers to find fallback fonts. If you want to use this tool you have to drag the bookmarklet to the browser toolbar. After that, you just have to visit the site that you want to test and simply click bookmarked to enjoy the features of FFFFALLBACK. You can also use magical unicorns as well as JavaScript rainbows to clone the pages! It also offers a smart tool that will allow you to test and analyze fonts.

This site will allow you to preview fonts for free! You just have to pay for the text styles you need. This site also supports international character. If you are looking for reliable, fast and easy, this is the one you can choose. It works on almost all modern browsers like Opera 10, Internet Explorer 5, Safari 3, Firefox 3.5, Chrome, Blackberry devices and Android devices.

Font­Friend is an awesome bookmarklet for typographically fixated web designers. It empowers quick checking of text styles and text styles straightforwardly in the program without altering the code and invigorating pages, making it the perfect partner for making CSS textual style stacks. This one is very easy to use and works on almost all modern browsers.

The above-described typography tools, CSS frameworks, and libraries are really great for the web designer. If you want to build an awesome and great looking website, then try them.

About the Author:

Navid Tayebi has considerable experience in digital marketing and brand development. He is the founder of Creative Over, an Orange County Web Design Company, CA that primarily focuses on providing digital marketing solutions to small- and medium-sized businesses. He is a versatile, organized and self-reliant person. His areas of expertise are refinement and development of marketing goals, promotional activities, pricing strategies and branding. You can find Navid on Twitter, Linkedin, Google + and Facebook.

From time to time, even web designers need a good joke to keep the humdrum away. We’re sure that you’ve seen some or all of these jokes already. What we did is compile what we think are the best and funniest jokes from around the Web and put them here in one place.

In this marketplace, that advantage is crucial, and the way to achieve it is with innovative infographics. Utilizing flowing designs to reel in your audience can make the difference for your company. You have to find the shortest and most inventive way to organize your data and make it visually appealing and understanding for your consumer.

What do They Do for Your Business?

Infiographics offer a variety of ways for your users to understand your data

Data conception through infographics is an incredibly effective tool for branding as customers remember 80% of what they see and do.

These data pieces work for your brand by:

Drawing attention to your concept through intriguing graphics and compelling data while utilizing a simple format that does not increase the user’s cognitive burden.

Providing a mutually beneficial visual that markets your business and is highly shareable by affiliates because it has appeal to their market. Today’s biggest social media platforms navigate primarily through picture sharing, so choosing this option to market your business will create easy opportunities for your brand to get recognized.

Offering a variety of ways for your users to understand your data. Some customers will make their decisions based on blog posts and lists while others will gather their information based on your infographic. Offering multiple ways to read your content is a clear advantage in marketing.

By broadening your marketing techniques and thinking more visually, you are increasing your consumer’s knowledge of your brand and services.

Choosing Your Infographic

Infographics can also be a great tool for branding

Many businesses need assistance as they utilize this marketing tool and turn to infographic designers to help them. A good infographic designer will help a business choose which is the best direction to take to make sure they entertain, engage, and educate their audience using the wealth of data they have at their fingertips.

When it comes to solid infographics, most business topics will offer enough engaging material to transform previously static text into an informative and impressive viewing experience. There is an endless stream of data that could be converted into visual form: general timelines about your business or a proposed roll out that displays your business in an interesting light.

This list of Infographic ideas can help businesses kick-start their concept. Finding a visual way to explain an important process, make a comparison between your work and a competitor, or offer a collection of ideas, quotes, or statistics can be overwhelming; however, the only limit to your brand is your imagination and the skill of your designer to make that image come true.

Avoiding Terrible Infographics

It is important to nail the right blend of information and visuals to ensure that your infographic will be an effective tool or you will have wasted all of your efforts. Here are some common pitfalls to avoid:

Too Much Text

Too much text distracts

No matter how amazing your visuals are or how compelling the data is, when you cram too much text into your infographic you will immediately lose your audience. The text should support the visuals and make them more compelling.

Jumbled Narrative

Visuals still need a structured narrative

Your infographic should flow smoothly and logically. Just because you are painting your data instead of writing it, that does not remove the need for a structured narrative. It should have a logical beginning, middle, and end.

Generic Appearance

Your infographic should be intriguing enough

A generic infographic will be completely ignored, even by those who are in your target audience. There is no shortage of intriguing infographics on the Internet, so your consumers’ eye will skip over a bland design.

Do not skimp on your design, as it is the most crucial part that will attract consumers. These mistakes can cost you your base, or make you seem out of touch and boring.

Make Your Infographic Work for You

Infographics take time and energy to create, so you should use it more than once to boost your traffic. It is simple to make sure that your infographic continues to work for you long after the original design is completed.

Infographics Can be Recycled into a White Paper or Press Release

Many businesses forget that an infographic can be used anywhere, not just as a relevant static page. A clever business will use the same research and data for a press release, white paper, or investigative piece, utilizing the best pieces of the infographic and re-cycling the data.

Link Credits

If your infographic is engaging and explains a complex theory in an understandable way, you have a high chance of going viral on the Internet. This is not only good for general traffic and shares, but you will get link credits from many blogs and sites across the Internet.

Infographics Have ROI and Measurable Results

Infographics are an amazing form of public relations that offer measurable results through social shares, citations, traffic generating, and backlinks. These trackable results make it easy for SEO departments to accumulate data and create comprehensive ROI reports.

The following list of Infographic ideas will help to jump start the flow of ideas so that you can quickly showcase an important process; make a direct comparison between your services and a competitors, or display ideas and statistics.

This list can help you get started with a lot of ideas

About the Author:

Vikas Agrawal is an Online Marketing Expert & Infographic Designer Vikas Agrawal co-founded Infobrandz to ensure that their clients are creating top-notch visual content to educate and engage their clients. His creative designing service is known for innovative Infographic designs and solid presentation skills that boost business and online traffic.

How Important is Your Portfolio?

Your portfolio is a dynamic, ever-changing collection of your works, skills, accomplishments, and experiences. It puts a spotlight on your best works and achievements as well as your values and experiences.

Every information you include in your portfolio is critical because it will not only reflect your capabilities but will also serve as a marketing tool to attract potential clients.

So how do you create a portfolio that rocks and attracts potential clients?

Today’s episode of the 1WD Show features Wes McDowell, the Creative Director of The Deep End, a digital and branding agency, and he will share how to create a portfolio that does just like that – attract potential clients.

Wes pointed out that most of the time, web design professionals indeed create a portfolio but never really give careful thought that they can do more about it than just showcasing who they are and what they know. He added that your portfolio shouldn’t look like it’s just an afterthought, but you can make it to actually look like a 24/7 ambassador that represents your brand.

1. Videos

When you look at the websites of most creatives, they’re nowhere to be found. You can see the projects and accomplishments they have done, but the website remains faceless and impersonal. Bear in mind that companies hire people. They want to see who they’re going to be working with and before that, they want to see if you are a good fit for the company.

You can utilize videos to work for you in this way, making your website more human and giving it more personality. Placing your photo or image in your web site is good, but placing a video ups your game because they can see a real talking and thinking human being.

But what do you put in your video?

Your video should serve as a welcome greeting; therefore, it should have a welcoming vibe to it making visitors and potential clients feel welcome. Just like when you’re greeting someone face to face, you should also express how happy you are to see them visit your site. Introduce yourself briefly and give them an overview of what you do.

Never sell your product or services on the video. Rather, it should just be enough to pique their interest to make them know more about you and what you offer.

2. Case Studies

Putting all your successful projects in your portfolio is good, but creating a case study from them is even better. Case studies don’t just show your proficiency, but it also shows your understanding of various design principles that you have used in your projects. In addition, it shows people the process the project has undergone and the challenges you have faced to complete the project. Most importantly, though, case studies build confidence in your potential clients that you can do and finish the project.

What should you include in your case studies?

Your case studies should help other people see your creative process and, at the same time, gain knowledge from it. It’s true that all of us have their creative side, but not everybody uses their creative energy in the same way. Thus, your visitors are always curious how you do it.

Your case studies don’t just have to be the projects you did for others, but it should also include projects you did for yourself. Furthermore, it also shows potential clients other skills you might have. For example, most of your projects might focus on web design, but a fun project you did focuses on creating mobile apps.

Some necessary elements that you should include are:

Overview of the project

Services you provided and tools you used

Client testimonials (a video testimonial is much better)

Dedicated page

Screenshots

3. Separate Pages for Each Project

Another mistake most creatives make is thinking that their client can find every project they have made. You have to understand that visitors to your website will not play the “treasure hunt” game and find all your projects one by one. Like a good host, you have to make it easy for your visitors to find them.

The best way to do this is by creating thumbnails for your projects on the landing page of your portfolio. Each thumbnail should be clickable, leading to that individual project’s own page. Then, each page should have a heading specific to each project or industry you have designed for. This serves as an opportunity to create long-tailed keywords for each of these projects so that it will be easier for potential clients to see them when they search it on the Internet.

4. Call to Action

Your call to action will be the deciding factor whether visitors will decide to become clients. You don’t just want people to look at your work rather, you want them to call you and, eventually, hire you. Wes suggested, as what he does, that your call to action should have a quote which funnels them to a page with a contact form.

That page should include specific questions that would give you more information regarding what the client wants or needs, so you can call or email them back with a quote. Don’t go for general CTAs. Instead, make it crystal-clear and laser-focused because you want to get hired.

Conclusion

Don’t expect projects to just fall into your lap just because you have a portfolio. Make all the elements inside it purposeful. All of them should lead to the fulfillment of that one single goal – YOU GETTING HIRED.

This Episode’s Sponsor

WebdesignerNews.com is this episode’s sponsor. It’s a single location to discover the latest and most significant stories on the Web.

Times have changed. Nonetheless, if you try to look back at how websites have been designed in the last 10 years, you can say that nothing much has changed despite the numerous changes on the web.

4 outstanding website layouts you can adopt

More often than not, a web design consists of a header, footer, sidebar, and the area for the main content, which seems to be the default layout.However, web designers, UI experts, and layout artists have become brave in breaking the norms and creating new web layout designs, even taking them to a new and exciting level.

The year 2015 is drawing near to its end, and here is our list of layouts that have already impacted the web design industry by providing the users a compelling and dynamic experience.

1. Split Screens

This is one of the most riveting web layout trends that you need to watch out for not only this 2015 but in the coming years. If you want your website to stand out, you should seriously consider the split screen layout. Here are some of the important reasons why the split-screens layout is a must-apply:

Provides equal importance to two primary elements. It is a common thing for websites to rank each element according to its importance, which defines the order and structure of the design. However, what would you do if two elements are of the same importance, and you can’t seem to know which one to put over the other?

This is the advantage of the split-screens layout. With a split-screen, you can give prominence to both elements and enable the user to quickly choose between them. You can easily convey dual importance. For example, if you want to convey to your website visitors that your core strengths are your digital roots and talented staff, you can simply place one on the left side, and the other on the right side.

If you are a business website, a restaurant, for instance, you can place the identity of your brand on the left, and the list of the dishes that you offer on the right. If you are operating a clothing line website, you can use one side to feature some important information about your company while showcasing the photos of the latest clothing and apparel that you sell on the other side.

On the whole, a split-screen layout can either be a single and static page. However, if a company wishes to display more information or content, the content of the dual page can be scrolled down. There are some cases, though, wherein scrolling down one side of the split screens can result to the scrolling of the other side, too.

However, split screens provide a great deal of ease to users, especially if they are potential customers, as they are provided two sections to check so that they can easily find the item they wish to purchase, or a service that they need to avail. They can do it without having to spend a lot of time, thanks to the reduced clutter on the website and its more streamlined look.

Why Go for a Split Screens Layout

The look of your website, especially if it is a business-related, plays an important role in attracting potential customers. Hence, you have to ensure that it covers what potential clients want as you display the relevant information and other elements that will engage them.

Potential clients or customers looking for important information are easily dissuaded from staying in a website if they find it hard to navigate the site. If you opt to go for the split screen type of website layout, you will not only have a website that is visually appealing but is user-friendly, too.

The Rising Popularity of the Split Screens Layout

A lot of websites that have embraced the split screen layout, thanks to its qualification as a part of the responsive design. Responsive designs, as you already know, adjust a website to the proportions of the device where a site is viewed on. This is especially important as more and more people access the Internet using their mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets.

Split screens can preserve a website’s proportions regardless of the device where it is accessed. If you can come up with split screen design correctly, you have a masterpiece. Many people are especially attracted to the vertical split design believing that it is a fantastic tool, much more if it becomes a fully responsive design.

Furthermore, in contrast to many other websites, a split-screen layout design gives a website an edgy look – big and bold, yet oozing with simplicity and power. However, you have to exercise a great deal of precautions when working on a website that makes use of the split screen. If you are not careful, your overall design may look like a before and after photo in magazines, newspapers, or social media.

How to Do the Split Screen

The split screen layout has become popular because of responsive design

Another great thing about the split screen web design is that you can apply it on any type of theme that you have. With the help of a page builder, you can split the screen easily. The following is a great example of split screens web layout design.

2. Container-Free/ No Chrome Layouts

One of the major elements used in web design is containing elements, such as boxes, borders, shapes and containers of all types. They are used to divide the content of a page separately. However, things have changed nowadays as more and more websites are getting rid of these extra chromes. The new trend that many websites have embraced features the removal of any graphic structure to give way to a more free and open style.

This trend shares some common traits with minimalism. The difference is that it is totally devoid of any visual packaging. The content of the website itself is placed at the center, attracting the attention towards it. On the other hand, the importance of the information is determined by the choice of color, position, or typography instead of the structures and the boxes.

A chrome-free layout is similar to a minimalist design

Foreword

Foreword is one website that clearly makes use of the container-free/ no chrome layout. As you can see, its website has done away with the containers. With the use of colors and fonts, the attention of the users is focalized. Specifically, they bank on typography to provide the most important information about the company itself. On the other hand, the color is used to highlight the other clickable voices. There is no denying that this website is highly minimal, apart from, of course, being responsive.

There are some websites that have eliminated the use of the header and the footer at the same time. Such a move can make the website look like an interactive kiosk. In terms of hierarchy, the content can be done through a left-to-right arrangement. This can make the layout more intuitive. Obviously, there is no need for a chrome that will separate the content from navigation. As a result, the products stand out even more.

Great Way to Emphasize a Brand

If you remove the header and the footer, the brand that your website is promoting can be emphasized. The name of the company can be further highlighted and the statement on what your website does or offers can even be clearer to your visitors. Hence, your visitors are aware of your brand before they start to navigate it. It will make the overall flow of your website become more elegant.

You can easily achieve a neat and nice effect if you get rid of the distractions as you unobtrusively place the menus and links on the page that are devoid of containers. Additionally, if you have no borders, headers, and footers, the eyes will be more drawn to the subject of interest.

These days, the word chrome is no longer related to cars, but it is more identified with site and page design, particularly in reference to all of the headers, footers, containers, and borders that enclose a page. For many web designers, web layout designers, though, chromes are a distraction to the user and take away the focus from the very essence of a website, which can be the products or services that it offers, the photos and images associated with it, or the brand itself.

3. Modular or Grid Based

Each module of these designs is meant to flex based on the size of the screen. When you come to think of it, this isn’t really a new approach. However, since the introduction of responsive web design, the use of this layout design has even become more in demand, thanks to its usefulness. This suggests at the type of flexible layouts one can come up with, especially with the help of plugins like Masonry.

Websites That Have Embraced the Modular Layout

Team Bad Company is the perfect example of a modular website

1. Team Bad Company. Without question, this example perfectly exemplifies the idea as the design is totally responsive. Since space is divided evenly, the design adapts evenly, regardless of the device where it is viewed. What makes this website further interesting is that it introduces an element in larger screen sizes that disrupts the stiff barriers between the modules themselves.

The layout modules are made of varying sizes

2. Madagascar Dreamworks. This example is a powerful description of the pattern. As compared to that of Team Bad Company, this layout features modules that are of varying sizes. You have to remember that the size of the modules is reflective of the importance and order of hierarchy. While it is true that modules of the same size have their own set of advantages, there is a risk involved in going for it, too; that is your website fails in making an emphasis to the major element.

Clients can see the different amazing shots Peachey Photography can deliver

3. Peachey Photography. If your website is meant to showcase your creative works, there is no questioning that you should go for the modular type page layout. For instance, this photography website makes use of this layout. Not only does it make its potential clients aware of the many impressive shots that he had taken, it provides them the ease of navigation, too. The more you can display on one screen, the more potential clients you can entice to go for your products or services.

White Bear uses 5 different modules

4. White Frontier.This is another example of a website that has pulled off the use of modular layout. The page consists of 5 modules which are of different sizes. The biggest module, of course, bears the image that represents the products that they are selling. As you click on each module, you are taken to the different elements of the website.

A modular layout is ideal for fashion-related websites

5. Lardini. Another website that has embraced the modular layout is Lardini. After all, it is a must for every fashion-related website to showcase groups of marvelous photos that can be easily viewed non-intrusively. Hence, the use of a modular layout is really apt.

Developers are familiar with employing a grid system as a solid foundation for their websites. Because of this, they can easily overcome the difficulties or issues that they experience when they do the prototyping. They don’t only develop it into a project, but they also get to be creative with it. Hence, they can offer interesting solutions that result to exemplary effects and trendy styles.

Modular layout, without question, is essential in maintaining harmony between the elements of a website as it effectively organizes the multimedia data. This results to a balanced structure that provides a great ease for users. Likewise, this type of layout improves the ease of use as it gives the users a simple and quick access to comprehensible pieces of information. This type of layout can help prevent chaos in presenting your content-intensive website. Although modules can sometimes be slightly disproportionate in terms of their asymmetrical balance, the modular layout is still capable of organizing and managing your documents rather effectively.

WordPress Themes for a Modular Layout

Should you decide to go for the modular or grid layout for your website, you can easily do so if you purchase the following WordPress Themes:

Hybrid has a clean and contemporary design

Hybrid.This is a clean & modern WordPress blog theme. Apart from being minimalistic, this theme is definitely clean and has a contemporary design. It is sure to leave your website users in awe. It is highly flexible, easy to customize, and is well-documented. This theme is perfect for blog, news, or an online shopping store. It boasts of numerous setting features, such as categories, layout, cover style, and sidebar. Furthermore, this theme is SEO-friendly.

Neo supports 8 post formats

NEO. This is a modern personal WordPress Theme that will enable you to display your content in a new way. This is also readable in all devices. NEO supports 8 post formats and is equipped with the capacity to display images, videos, and audio. This is most ideal for a personal store, blog, portfolio, and journal.

4. Filling a Single Screen

This layout is a subset of the responsive design where the layout completely adheres to the screen size. This type of layout adapts to fill the whole screen, and the whole layout does not contain scroll bars. Since scrolling is not available, the focus is mainly on the content. A single screen features either an image or a video clip.

And now this question: Would you go for this filled single screen layout? Well, when you really come to think of it, since this type of layout makes use of the whole screen, the image or the video that you use will be highlighted even more. In the event that you opt to use large images, and you use a compelling one that best represents your business, those who visit your website will have a clearer idea as to what your website is all about.

The Advantages of an Image-Focused Single Screen

It is said that a picture can paint a thousand words. This adage may have been around for ages, and it still rings true even in this day of technological advances. According to psychology experts, the brain is faster by as much as 60,000 times in terms of processing images as compared to reading texts. Therefore, the probability of the potential clients to be enticed to go for the services or products that you offer is much higher if you use the filled single screen layout, whether you bank on a video clip or a large image. The more eye-catching the image or the video clip that you use, the higher the probability for you to bait in potential clients or customers.

The most interesting thing about a filled screen layout is that all the information that the users need is properly arranged. The information can be placed over a large background image, ambient video background, or full-width sliders. More often than not, websites that make use of the full-screen layout feature a burger menu or fly out.

WordPress Themes for Single Screen

This WordPress theme is the most ideal for a business website. Apart from being modern, it is optimized based on CSS3 and HTML5. With this theme, your website can feature all the relevant information on a single page! You are also empowered to tweak every detail of your website. Since Onetone is highly customizable, you can apply all of your creativity to make your website even more enticing. It provides sections that you can commonly see on a professional business page such as gallery, about, clients, services, and many more. With the use of the versatile admin panel, you can add an unlimited number of additional sections, too.

Helix is an amazing website template for building a personal portfolio style blog. Helix is a free full-screen WordPress theme with a flat style menu on its left side. Additionally, it is a WordPress 3+ ready theme that boasts of features such as custom menu, full-screen slideshow homepage, widgetized sidebar etc. Helix also comes with an intuitive options panel that makes it possible for you to adjust several settings existing on the theme. With its broad and expansive full-screen slideshow on the homepage, capturing the attention of your online visitors is, without question, highly probable.

This is a free full-screen slideshow portfolio theme that is most suitable for creating personal, photography, and wedding photography blog or website. Wallbase offers a very unique and fully functional layout that will surely make your content stand out. With its professional and modern look, your website visitors, especially your target clientele, will surely be captivated. This theme provides you an option to use a regular blog with image slideshow as the background or a full-screen slideshow. Since this theme is fully responsive, its width adjusts automatically, regardless of the device where your site is viewed. This impressive theme boasts of multiple page templates for various purposes, such as contact page, full-width page, and many more. Wallbase also comes with a custom background color, custom post types, and an ad management feature.

Conclusion

The above-discussed layouts can be likened to building blocks. Just like building blocks, they can be assembled in more ways than one. The truth of the matter is that many of the mentioned samples can be moved to other categories that have been discussed. The design layouts of 2015 are a clear demonstration of the fusion of diversity and experimentation that results to the blending of the traditional and novel ideas. Finally, gone are the days of predictable and monotonous web page layouts.

What is the Best Reading Pattern for the Best Reading Experience?

Web design is both a science and an art. Aside from considering the visual makeup, a web designer needs to take into account color, composition, size, and what elements should be left out.

According to Alex Bigman, Design Writer of 99 Designs, there are two types of reading patterns predominant to those who read from left to right.

Why are Reading Patterns Important?

Like the great artists of long ago, web designers need to produce something that is aesthetically enticing, yet useful and usable. These goals should be achieved in order to create a good user interface.

When we talk about UI, the sense of sight plays a very important role because it sends the signal to brain about the experience it has witnessed. No matter how obvious or subtle a movement is, the eye catches these nuances to a certain point of interest.

These interests depend on the person but there are definite trends that people generally follow, and that includes how they read a certain web page.

Two Types of Reading Patterns

The F-Pattern

This pattern can usually be found in websites that are text-laden, such as news websites. The F-Pattern involves a reader vertically scanning the page on the left down to look for points that will interest them.

Once they found something interesting, they will start reading horizontally, forming a pattern which looks like the letter “F.”

A study done by the Nielson Norman Group, which included 232 users, observed how the F-pattern works and its impact on the design of your website. The study showed that users do not necessarily read everything, except the first two paragraphs. Therefore, these should contain your hook. keywords

To make the F-pattern work for your advantage, use enticing keywords in your subheads and starting paragraphs. Using bullet points is also recommended.

This pattern works best when you want to embed calls to actions or advertisements without overwhelming your content.

The Z-Pattern

The Z-pattern is used in websites that are not text-focused. In this pattern, users read starting from the top left of the page and scans it horizontally to the right. Then, the eye scans from the right top page to the bottom left and scans the bottom from left to right.

The Z-pattern is most preferred for any types of websites because it has all the elements needed, such as branding and calls to action. However, this works well in a simple web site where the main focus is the call to action.

If you try to use this in a content-laden website, it will defeat the purpose of the pattern. On the other hand, it can bring great organization in a website with a simple layout. When using the Z-pattern, take note of the following points of interest and the elements you need to include.

Point #1 – Your logo

Point #2 – a colorful secondary call to action

Center Page – A featured image slider to set a distinction between the top and bottom page. It will also serve as a guide to help users navigate the Z-pattern.

Point #3 – Add icons to prime your readers to the final call of action

Point #4 – Your call to action

Conclusion

By understanding how the eye works, you will be able to predict how your users will go through your content. Thus, you can create a more effective UI design that enhances user experience.

Without question, it is difficult to come up with a job title that vividly explains and defines the skills that you have as a professional web designer.

However, if you understand the term full stack, it will not only give you a clearer understanding of what your title should be; you will know, too, how you can be of value to the team and the project that you are working on. Additionally, you will have the insight on how to use your skills in planning what your main job focus should be.

Nowadays, web designers are also armed with the knowledge and skills of a web developer

Needless to say, now seems to be the perfect time to branch in the industry by equipping yourself with more knowledge and resourcefulness. However you view it, whether you think it’s a blessing or a curse, a web designer is not only expected to work on a design; he needs to be equipped with the knowledge and skills to develop some codes or even take on the responsibility of the entire development process, too.

So, What Does It Really Mean to be a Full Stack Designer?

Well, being a full-stack designer simply means being a person who is cross-disciplinary and has the ability to complete a project. A full stack developer handles everything, including end development, back-end development, back-end server development, and many more. This is, of course, apart from coming up with an engaging design.

A full-stack designer is cross-disciplinary and able to complete a project

What the Experts Say about Full-Stack Designing

However, designing and coding are two distinct skills that require different regions of the brain to master. The right brain is for visual and creativity and the left brain is for structure and organization. Designers are predominately right-brainers while coder left-brainers. So there is still only a handful of full-stack web developer on the market.

EDWARD CHUNG

I would never discourage anyone from learning to code. Even a few hours invested in learning the basics will earn you perspective and useful skills. That said, there’s a lot of intangible learning and judgement that an experienced developer brings to their work. That’s why it’s a good idea to balance an understanding of coding with a general perspective on what your project’s looking to accomplish, framed in a way that lends itself to constructive interdisciplinary discussions.

ALEX COWAN

Becoming a full-stack designer helps everyone involved in the product, even if only a small subset of your skills are being utilized. Being full-stack means that you have the ability to comprehend every part of the product development process, allowing you to deliver design that not only improves the product, but improves the efficiency of your team as well. Not only can your work be more efficient, as a full-stack designer you are a multi-discipline polyglot who can speak the native language of every member of the team. COREY LEE

Becoming a full-stack anything is special in and of itself. It’s investing quite a lot of time and effort into oneself professionally, most often outside the workplace. So what makes full-stack designers so important? Primarily, it’s the skills in their spectrum. Typically, designers are the ones organizing research, creating wireframes, checking out UX patterns, organizing UI design, and generally making sure we aren’t ending up with stunningly beautiful websites and apps that simply don’t have a purpose.

DUSTIN CARTWRIGHT

Working with developers in terms of the realization of the design has always been a big pain and non-stop iterations, but recently a beautiful thing has happened in the world of Web design — the term “Web Designer” is turning in favor of the term “Full Stack Designer”. It no longer conveys the meaning that the designer just delivers source files, but that the designer understands the world of the web on technical levels and fulfills the design to a working prototype by himself, and not just a few designers but many.

EDEN VIDAL

A full-stack designer has lots of opportunities to develop his skills

The Benefits of Being a Full Stack Designer

Expansive Skill Sets

Without question, more than the financial rewards, the biggest perk of being a full-stack designer is the opportunity to expand his skills. More often than not, they end up having a thorough knowledge of their job and become more consistent even from the research phase until the production phase.

A full stack designer can become aware of his limitations and expectations as he plans the UX/UI wireframes. He becomes more knowledgeable in terms of what works well and cannot work well in coming up with an elegant design. He can also become more realistic in terms of what to expect even before he starts pushing coding or pixels.

Having said this, becoming a full stack designer does not only benefit the designer himself; even the employer can benefit from his expansive set of skills, too. It goes without saying that an employer can keep a lean structural workforce equipped with individuals who are having a grasp of the bigger and more complete picture of the work that needs to be done.

Just imagine this. Even with a basic knowledge of development or another skill apart from web designing is already a perk. In fact, this can arouse the need of a web designer to increase his knowledge in the said area. A web designer can hunger for more knowledge about the things outside his comfort zone once the seed has been planted.

Realistic Expectations

Apart from increased knowledge and expanding his set of skills, another benefit of being a full-stack designer is that he knows exactly what to expect of the design that he has come up with. Gone are the days when a web designer just sits back in front of his computer and bury his head in his sketchbook, not worrying about how his design will be implemented. These days, it’s a totally different type of game for web designers.

More than coming up with a visually appealing design, a full stack web designer is expected to transcend this scope and use his influence over other areas to enhance the design of a project. It’s like expecting an architect to come up with design and take into consideration of the materials and physics involved in the design that he has worked on. Hence, full stack designers can easily come up with a design that is not only aesthetically appealing but functional, too. The demand for designers to work more than just a design is on the constant rise.

After all, a good designer does not only focus on the design itself but also on other things that are connected to it. Sounds counterproductive, one may think. Well, not really. A designer needs to realize the influence of the different factors in web development has on the design. The more he comprehends the whole process, the better his design can become. Every full stack designer is aware of this.

The Pitfalls of Hiring a Full Stack Designer

Thanks to the expansive skill sets of a full stack designer, an employer is forced to give them a much higher pay as compared to those who just focus on web design alone. Well, this is just proper, after all, a full stack designer can do a job that is normally done by two people.

Additionally, a full stack designer has to constantly advance himself through learning. He needs to be in the know of the latest technologies, skills, and practices. While it is true that this is great, this can also mean investing more time and money, much more if he has no idea of what skills exactly he needs to learn.

A full stack designer skills are a combination of foundational and technical skills

What Skills a Full Stack Designer Should Have

Foundation Skills

Design thinking. This is the first skill that a full stack designer needs to learn. He needs to identify his audience so that he can focus his efforts on a more actionable and testable view of his client. He needs to create a healthy interdisciplinary tool set that he can use needed in product development and promotion.

Lean. A full stack designer should know if something is going to work even before time and money is wasted on it. He must be adventurous enough to venture into what he doesn’t know without losing his focus on the things that he already knows as right. He should be able to learn fast to avoid wasting time.

Customer discovery. Being able to create an actionable understanding of his customer so that he can build the right product and market it effectively is another skill that a full stack designer needs to have. He should know what ticks his customer, instead of ticking him off.

Agile. A full stack designer should always be in the know the progress of the objective that he and his team has. He needs to create inputs to product development and promotion that are linked to his work involved in design thinking and customer discovery.

Technical Skills

Model-View-Controller. This will help a full stack designer to identify the development program, its importance in all aspects, and its suitability for everything else. It will also help him break down the complexity of software development and think about the questions that can give sensible answers.

App and platform integration. This will enable a full stack designer to know what he is working on and its suitability in its operating environment. It will also help him understand the different pieces of his extended product and the implications of the various approaches in making an application.

Roles and systems in a technical team. Knowing the difference between a UI designer VS developer VS sysadmin VS developments can give full stack designer a clearer understanding of his role and put him on the right track as he works on his project.

Full Stack Designer Job Boards

This is, without question, a quality site that features an explicit filter for telecommuting jobs. What is further impressive is that this site features a job posting form for employers that can be checked if the employer wants an entirely telecommute employee.
Filter type: Location (Telecommute)
Number of remote posts (approx.): 127

This job site has posts that are of high quality. However, it seems that this job doesn’t list a lot of telecommuting jobs. Additionally, this job site does not clearly define if a job is for telecommuting.
Filter type: keyword search

This job site features offers some telecommuting jobs, too, but an applicant needs to exercise a lot of patience in order to find one. The truth of the matter is that this job site is simply a launchpad to external sites.
Filter type: none

This site is reputed for the quality of its job listing posts The other perk here is filtering that lets you separate full-time jobs though the telecommute checkbox.
Filter type: checkbox

Real Life Full Stack Designers

If you go to Linkedin, you will find a list of some of the most qualified full stack designers who can surely be of great value to a team and carry out a project successfully.

Here’s some of them:

1. Chandan Kumar
Product Design, UI/UX // Chandankm.com
Chandan is a full stack designer who believes in aesthetic and details. He claims that he creates bolder user experiences as he identifies the problems and solves them. With more than 10 years of experience, he does not only understand the perfect user interface but also works on making it even better. He takes pride in the fact that he can simplify problems and make aesthetically appealing and intuitive interface designs.
I am a Full Stack Designer. I believe in Aesthetics & Details. I create bolder user experiences. I uncover problems & solve them. I’ve been at it for over 10 years.As a UI / UX designer and developer, I understand the perfect user interface should look good and work even better. I enjoy turning complex problems into simple, beautiful and intuitive interface designs.

2. Eric Nance
Full-Stack Designer, Creative Entrepreneur
With 17 years of experience in providing compelling creative solutions, Eric Nance is, without question, one of the most innovative and forward thinking full stack designer. He combines his expertise in web designing and development in helping online businesses make their presence felt online. He creates effective solutions that help his clients achieve their target. As a self-motivated professional who has an entrepreneurial spirit, he has a proven record of delivering high-quality visual communication systems for different clients in various industries, thanks to his classic artistic styles and technical skills.

3. Andrea Pilutti
Freelance Full Stack Designer
Andrea boasts of 13-year design and creative career in print and web. His clients are not just ordinary; they are some of the greatest and leading international brands. He has an extensive knowledge of print and web production process, specializing in print design, UX, UI, web design and frontend development. Additionally, he has entrepreneurial experience tucked under his belt, having worked as a full-time freelance designer consultant since 2008. He describes himself as passionate about design, tech-savvy, and early adopter of technology.

4. Damian Martone
Full Stack UX Designer. Former Graphic Design Teacher.
Damian is presently residing in Berlin, Germany. He describes himself as an enthusiast for product development and interactive design. He believes that branding and strong communication in every product are vital in generating a distinctive User Experience that pushes it one step ahead of the generic design solutions. Without question, Damian is a versatile designer with a formation in graphic design, teaching, and art directing experience. He adds that he is eager to make new and cool things.

5. Anthony Pitassi
Creative Director / Senior Full Stack Designer
Anthony is a highly motivated, experienced, and organized professional. He seeks for opportunities to work on exciting projects that can give him an opportunity to unleash his artistry, strategy, and knowledge on user interface development in coming up with a beautiful and useful web design. He describes himself as a product thinker by heart and is always enthusiastic in making relevant contributions with measurable results, thanks to his unwavering work ethics and commitment to excellence for UX Design, UI Design, UI Development, Graphic Art and User Psychology.

Tools depend on the designer’s preference

Tools Full Stack Designers Must Have

Lauren Waller opines that the kinds of tools that a full stack designer uses are highly dependent on his preference. For instance, despite the rising popularity of Sketch, if a web designer is more familiar with using Photoshop, he encourages him to stay with it, much more if he has mastered using it.

Nonetheless, the following are the things that he suggested as the most important tools that are most important for a full stack designer:

Pen and Paper. Before using his computer, using a pen and paper to sketch or write something about a design. While it is true that some designers find this unnecessary, it works well with other people.

Paper App for iPad. For full stack designers who are not sold to the idea of using pen and paper, the Paper App for iPad is the best substitute for making basic ideas and wireframe sketches.

Moqups. This tool is primarily for wireframing. Moqups offers a lot of web components that can be dragged into the canvas or be edited with a great deal of ease.

Sketch. According to Lauren Waller, he loves Sketch because of its:
• Artboards that give him infinite workspace
• Intuitive, one letter shortcuts
• Community, where anyone can contribute to the betterment of the project, anywhere they are.
• Customisable grid layout
• Ease in exporting assets
• Symbols and shared styles
• CSS attributes

Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. This is great for illustration and photo manipulation. Photoshop is ideal for editing, comps, deep etching, and grading. Illustrator works best for customizing iconography, typography, and illustrations.

IconJar. This is the easiest way to incorporate icons into a design, much more if you use common icon libraries.

IcoMoon. Without question, this is the easiest way to make a custom icon font, especially is a project calls for uncommon iconography.

InVison. InVision enables you to make an interactive design with ease and speedily with the help of Hotspots.

Kraken. This is best for image optimization. It reduces the large file sizes without affecting their quality.

Webstorm. This has numerous integrated features which make a seamless development process possible. This tool can be used from cloning projects to writing codes to pushing to GitHub.

Full stack designers are one of the most financially rewarded individuals

Is Being a Full Stack Designer Financially Rewarding?

Surely, full stack designers are some of the most stressed-out workers out there. However, thanks to their expansive set skills and the demand for them, they are some of the most financially rewarded individuals. Depending on the size of the company that they are working for and its location, a full stack designer can earn as much as $160,000 annually. In San Francisco, California USA, the average annual income of a full stack designer is $139,000.

A full stack designer doesn’t have to assume every role every time a product is created. After all, a full stack designer cannot be a jack-of-all-trades and master of none. Going full stack is being equipped with the expertise in some fields while having a traversable skill level in all the other fields. Full stack designers are definitely not an expert in everything, but, without question, they have the capacity to deliver a well-designed finished product.

Looking for a job as an independent web designer can be quite cumbersome. In fact, I like to think of the job searching process as a job in and of itself. Especially in the beginning, you just have to put in the same amount of work you would in a 9 to 5, sometimes even more. Thankfully, today’s globalized world has a plethora of vast resources all a click away. Freelancing websites are one of those resources and, when used diligently, can give you the quick start your career needs.

Finding a job is a job in itself

Before you charge into using such sites, you should know how they work, learn to distinguish the good from the bad and use them to the best of your advantage. This is what this article is all about – based on our experience as an international freelancing network, we’ll break down the three main steps of job hunting on freelancing websites and let you in on what we’ve learned over the years. Without further ado, let’s jump in.

It’s not the best idea to rely on freelancing sites alone

1. Understanding how freelancing websites work

First and foremost, let’s talk about what freelancing websites are and how they function. Essentially, they are job search platforms. Many give you the possibility of uploading a portfolio, let you comb through a bunch of current offers from various businesses and act as the middle man between you and those potential clients. Naturally, they charge for that and that commission can vary a lot.

It is important to understand that freelancing serve as a complementary income source, but it is not the best idea to rely on them exclusively. You will still have to work on your online and offline marketing and establish your brand through other channels like social media, personal websites, and freelancing communities. Diverse income is the key to success and that means not relying on a single service.

2. Finding the right site

Terms and conditions
The terms and conditions of a freelancing website are the contract you agree upon when you use their services. I can’t stress this enough – know what you’re getting into. Carefully familiarize yourself with this framework, once you jump in and accept it there is no turning back.

Customer support
As mentioned, the freelancing website you chose will act as the middle man between you and your clients in many situations. That means you will want a site that is willing and has the organization in place to answer any questions or alleviate any problems that you might have. Don’t just trust promises from the site itself, look through forums for feedback from other freelancers.

Low commission fees
Commission fees will be one of the most important details you will want to compare across different platforms because these directly cut into your profit. Avoid sites that require a percentage fee. For smaller projects, this might not seem that significant, but once you land something bigger they are going to hurt. It’s like an income tax on top of the taxes you already have to pay. Don’t undercut yourself by agreeing to high commission fees which eat into project earnings – your work, your money.

Smaller, more personal networks
Going on the biggest, most popular sites isn’t necessarily the best idea. Everybody knows about them, which means the competition will be fierce and price undercutting will occur. Bidding is an enemy to quality and can be quite stressful. Additionally, it means you probably won’t get paid fairly. Smaller websites can also afford to pay closer attention to their customers (in this case, to you).

Direct contact with clients We’ve mentioned the middle man a couple of times now, but some sites do offer you the opportunity to handle the communication directly, which can be quite beneficial. It helps nurture a long-lasting business relationship with the client, sparing both you and them fees and time. If you’ve ever worked on a project as an independent web designer you know from experience that scopes, ideas, and projects change and so does the pay. Direct contact helps facilitate those changes and make them smoother for everyone.

Don’t undersell yourself, but present yourself in the best possible way

3. Presenting yourself in the right way

As with any self-promotion, it is important to be honest, professional and excited about what you do. But there are a couple of tricks that apply to freelancing websites specifically:

Apply to projects that match your skillset
Chances are, the service you use will offer tons of projects. It can be tempting to mass apply to most of them, but it’s a waste of your time. Focus on jobs that you are going to be excited about and will proudly advertise as having them under your belt. You should always be looking to expand your skillset and knowledge in the dynamic world of web design. Nevertheless, search out projects which you can confidently complete with a great quality.

Use the site to its fullest potential
Pictures, CVs, portfolios, references and links to your online presence – many websites will give you a place to present your brand in every way possible. Utilize those ways to the best of your ability. This is the best way to stand out from the competition and nudge the client in the right direction – namely yours.

Be proactive
Don’t only wait for others to reach out, search for projects outside of the scope that the site recommends. There is no one that knows which projects best suit you better than yourself. Whether it is freelancers or employees, companies love initiative, so show them you’re the type of person who knows their stuff.

Don’t undersell yourself
The aforementioned competition will inadvertently lead to price comparisons. Many freelancers opt to offer the cheapest rates possible, but this couldn’t be further from right. You’re not an open market fruit seller – you offer quality services for fair pay. Clients are aware of this conundrum as well, so they often tend to associate low prices with bad quality, which is often the case. Set a minimum acceptable rate (MAR) and don’t ever go below it. Even if it means getting lesser jobs, it means getting the right ones.

Ask for references
Once a project is finished, never forget to ask your client about references. They are essential for your future success and setting up your business for growth. References mean trustworthiness and good work and those mean more clients willing to work with you.

To finish this article off on a high note, freelance websites have been a stepladder to many a successful freelancer. They will only work for you, however, if you are aware of the repercussions that come along with using them and the rules of the game. Make sure you know what you’re getting into and give it your best once you’ve made up your mind. Happy job hunting!

About the author:Viktor Marinov is the voice behind the freelancer magazine at freelancermap.com. Every week he comes up with helpful hints, checklists and guides for freelancers and independent workers. If you would like to know how to find remote jobs online or how to niche yourself as a freelancer, check out his freelancer tips!

1WD is passionate about helping the community by sharing information and resources that will make you become a better web design professional. This post is no different as we present you various UI design concepts for mobile screens we have gathered from Behance.

It is no surprise why everyone is going mobile since responsive design has been in the forefront and design isn’t exclusively for the web anymore. Take a look at these different mobile design concepts to give you inspiration and more knowledge of UI design, especially for mobile devices.

The interface need not be flashy, just the basics the user often looks for

Clarity is one of the essential elements of a good UI design. It should not confuse your users nor give them a hard time figuring out how to use your interface. And you can find that in this app designed especially for the Arles Festival, which has around a hundred thousand recorded visitors annually since its inception.

Images on top of artists’ name tell a lot about each item

Boxes and fonts are finger and eye-friendly

Angelique Calmon and Juliette Lima collaborated to create this app with a simple and straightforward interface which leads you only to the most important information about the festival.

Good user interface does not have information overload

Clicking each category leads you to more information. However, it does not give too much, just enough overview to let users know what they are. Even the information for each artist and exhibit doesn’t overload on they whys and whats, just a few sentences to help your users decide whether they want to see it or not.

Edu.ua implements all the functionality of the food delivery service in Ukraine

This mobile version for an existing website is designed by a group of designers from Ukraine. The app has both an iOS and Android version with a very friendly UI designed especially for the food delivery business. In order to meet usability standards, the designers conducted an intensive market research and took note of various offbeat ideas. Then, they created and tested an interactive prototype with over 100 wireframes to ensure that the app meets needs of the client’s business.

The app has flexible filters and smart searches

The app contains hundreds of restaurants all over Ukraine, so the developers put flexible filters and smart searches to enable users to find what they want in restaurants.

Ordering food is done in 5 easy, uncomplicated steps

To make it much easier to order food, users are guided into 5 easy steps which include: searching restaurants around the city, checking their menu, looking more specifically into the dishes before placing the order, confirming their order and proceeding with payment and delivery options.

The app gives detailed information about each dish

The app also has a reward point

With these steps, the users are saved the hassle of worrying what type of dish they ordered and the ingredients that go into each dish. This is especially helpful for those who have some specific dietary requirements.

The Workout Book was designed by Yalantis Mobile and Vitaly Rubstov out of their desire to find a workout app with no frills. Unlike other workout apps, the Workout Book easily records your workouts and lets you see all the necessary information at a glance right on the home screen.

Each workout has a color tag to let you easily track your workout

Create your own workout with just a flick of your fingers and press save. Customize, set the day, and the targeted area you want to work on. Each workout has a color tag so you can easily look over them and monitor what you have missed. After you have finished your workout, just do a few taps and you will be able to see the summary of your workout including the weight you’ve carried and the reps you’ve done for each targeted area.

The app uses common mobile patterns

Plot the type of workout you will focus on for the day or for the week.

What makes the Workout Book’s UI stand out is its use of common mobile patterns making even first-time users feel at home. Despite the commonness, the designers translated their own creativity into the app matching users’ expectations.

Whether it’s soccer, basketball, hockey, or American football, you can be sure to find fans -from kids to adults – engaging in fantasy leagues and creating their own dream teams. In fact, fantasy leagues have generated billions of revenue all over the world. The rules are pretty simple, and all you have to do is an app which allows you to navigate and monitor your score and stats easily.

Team standings are easy to find and access

The Fantasy Leagues app shows a promising future in the world of sports app because of its simple and easy to understand interface. Swipe between pages to build a team, adjust your line-up, and view game stats.

Swipe between pages to swap teams and players

The app has newsfeeds for both teams and specific players. The information on each page is short but concise providing you with the latest news and updates.

View player statistics and compare them with each other on one page

Another feature allows you to see how your current game fares well as well as team and player standings. In case, you are not happy with your line-up, you can easily swipe and sort players. Placing them in categories according to their positions makes it easier for you to put “who” in “where.”

Get more in-depth information about your favorite player

There’s also a trash talk feature which works like a Facebook status. Write what you think or feel about a certain player and post it for others to see.

Change is a simple app designed by Linus Lang with an ambitious mission – to help bring change in your community, specifically the people who live in it. It tells you the exact location and distance of a person who needed help from your location. The choices are simple and easy – a pop-up will appear and you can choose to view or cancel.

Change wins in both UI and UX

The app encourages “mindful” giving with enough information

If you choose “View,” you will be directed a more detailed profile of that person. If you want to help, you can click “Donate” and type the amount you want to give. Then you can share it on your Facebook profile to inform and encourage your friends to help as well.

Know a person’s exact location

Track how many you’ve helped and how much you’ve given

You can also track how many people you’ve helped, the amount you’ve given, and the money available in your virtual wallet which you can give as donations.

The Public Transportation app is designed by Docagan Ese Altunsu to specifically help tourists and citizens of Izmir to easily navigate the public transportation of the city. It shows the shortest route where you want to go in Izmir as well as the approximate arrival time of a public transport – bus, ferry, or metro – near your area.

The app shows you the type of transport passes by your location

It also shows you the shortest route possible

Type of transport is color coded so that you easily know where to look for.

Swing is an iPhone music app designed by Enis Danis with a simple and easy to use interface with only four, big navigation keys – News, Listen, Artist, Video. The “News” section has bigger windows than the “Listen” category. The news is displayed with their headlines and arranged according to their dates.

There are only four categories strategically placed at the top

Each page category is presented differently leaving no room for confusion

If you want to listen to music, your playlist appears and you can scroll down to search for more songs. Then, start listening by tapping the “Play” icon. Your “videos,” on the other hand, will display on a full screen.

The tiles are big enough to give a teaser to the more detailed information

Lift is a self-improvement and coaching app of Lift.do, now Coach.me. Designed by Leigh Taylor, it is geared especially for people who are goal-driven or for anyone who wants to be more productive. The app’s main page has an indicator to show how much of your goals for the day have been achieved.

The color and the design already energizes you

Encourage and be encouraged

As you tick each finished task, the indicator shows it until you achieve Inbox Zero – goals accomplished. Aside from that, you can also check what your friends are doing and be encouraged if they are doing well, or you can encourage them if they need one.

Monitor your friends’ activities as well and spur each other up

It also gives you tips to help you reach your goals

You can also get tips how to achieve your goals. The app also flashes some encouragement to lift your spirits in order to keep going.

The Weather Tile is an iOS app which got its inspiration from Windows 8 apps so when you glance for the first time, you might think it is a Windows phone. Navigating the app is simple and interesting because of its pastel colors. On the main page, you can find your current location and the weather as well as the key cities in the country making it easier to navigate between locations.

Tablets have bigger tiles than phones

Weather in your current location is displayed

If you click a tile, you will get an overview of the weather for the whole week. You can favorite the location so it appears on your main screen.

Weather in your current location is displayed

You can favorite locations and they will appear on your homepage

The icons automatically change as the weather in that location changes. You can also share it immediately on your Facebook and Twitter accounts.

Conclusion

Mobile has become the choice of many people when performing their online activities. Therefore, it is advisable that you should consider getting a mobile version of your website. You can get inspiration from these examples or some tips how to create one.